Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Wiki Loves Africa 2026:Rites and Rituals Documentations In Kebbi and Niger (ID: 23640812)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Mahuta
- Organization
N/A
- If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)
N/A
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Wiki Loves Africa 2026: Rites and Rituals Documentations In Kebbi and Niger
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-02-01 - 2026-04-30
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Nigeria
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Wiki Loves Africa
- 6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)
Change and Challenges:
The main change we are trying to bring is to increase the visibility and documentation of Northern Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage on Wikimedia projects, especially from Kebbi and Niger States. These two states are full of traditional rites, rituals, and festivals that have not been properly represented online. Most Wikimedia media content from Nigeria currently focuses on urban or southern regions, leaving a big gap in the cultural balance of African representation.
The major challenges we are addressing include:
- Low participation of people from Kebbi and Niger States in Wikimedia projects.
- Lack of digital skills and awareness among local photographers and cultural practitioners.
- Limited online visual documentation of traditional rites and rituals from these areas.
- Poor internet access and limited training opportunities for new contributors.
Approach and Strategies:
To achieve the desired change, we will apply the following approaches:
1. Capacity Building: We will organize 2-day physical training sessions in both Kebbi and Niger States to teach participants how to upload, categorize, and describe photos on Wikimedia Commons. This will build local digital skills and create new active Wikimedia contributors.
2. Community Engagement through Photowalks: We will conduct 3-day photowalks in key cultural areas of both states to capture high-quality images of rituals, festivals, and ceremonies. This approach connects participants directly with their environment and helps preserve cultural identity visually.
3. Incentive through Contest: A local photo contest will motivate participants to upload quality images under the Wiki Loves Africa 2026 theme “Rites and Rituals.” Prizes and recognition will inspire long-term participation and commitment to Wikimedia projects.
4. Partnership and Collaboration: We will collaborate with local cultural organizations, photographers, and traditional leaders who can give access to authentic events and rituals. This will ensure cultural accuracy and respect for local customs.
Why These Approaches Work:
These strategies have already proven effective during the 2025 edition of Wiki Loves Africa in Taraba State, where we achieved strong participation and produced many valuable photo uploads. The combination of training, field experience, and contest motivation has been tested and shown to build sustainable Wikimedia engagement. The approach also aligns with the Wikimedia Movement’s 2030 Strategy to ensure knowledge equity and representation of diverse cultures.
- 7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.
Planned Activities:
The project will be implemented in two main phases documentation (photowalks) and community capacity building (training and contest). Each activity connects directly with the project’s strategies and goals to promote participation and content creation on Wikimedia Commons.
1. Pre-Implementation and Planning
- Conduct an initial online meeting with the project team and community members to finalize the schedule and responsibilities.
- Contact local cultural authorities and photographers’ associations in Kebbi and Niger States for partnership and access to traditional sites.
- Prepare training materials and create the project page on Wikimedia Commons.
2. Photowalk and Documentation (3 Days per State)
- Organize 3-day cultural photowalks in selected communities across Kebbi and Niger States.
- Capture photos and short videos showing rites, rituals, and traditional ceremonies.
- Encourage participants to collect background information for accurate photo descriptions and categories.
- Suggested key locations include:
- Kebbi State – Argungu, Zuru, Birnin Kebbi, Yauri, and Suru.
- Niger State – Bida, Minna, Kontagora, Suleja, and Mokwa.
- These areas are chosen because they host major cultural festivals and represent diverse ethnic groups, making the documentation rich and authentic.
3. Training and Capacity Building (2 Days per State)
- Conduct 2-day in-person Wikimedia training sessions in each state.
- Train participants on:
- How to upload and categorize media files on Wikimedia Commons.
- Copyright and Creative Commons licensing.
- Adding metadata, descriptions, and categories.
- How to participate in the Wiki Loves Africa photo contest.
- Distribute certificates of participation and encourage participants to join Wikimedia Nigeria User Groups.
4. Photo Contest and Online Engagement
- Launch a local photo contest to reward the best cultural photos related to the 2026 theme “Rites and Rituals.”
- Promote the contest on social media platforms and local radio for visibility.
- Encourage ongoing engagement through a WhatsApp or Telegram community for participants.
5. Post-Project Activities and Reporting
- Upload and categorize all photos on Wikimedia Commons under the project category.
- Write and publish a summary report on Wikimedia Commons and Meta-Wiki with photo highlights and lessons learned.
- Share outcomes with local partners and encourage continuous Wikimedia activities in both states.
Partnerships:
- Local Partners: Cultural centers, traditional councils, youth photography groups, and local media.
- Wikimedia Partners: Wikimedia User Group Nigeria (support and visibility), and experienced volunteers from previous Wiki Loves Africa projects.
- 8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc. Team members involved in the grant application need to be aware of their involvement in the project.
Project Team Description
The project team is made up of four experienced Hausa Wikimedians with strong backgrounds in Wikimedia projects, cultural documentation, and community training. Each member brings valuable experience from previous Wikimedia initiatives and regional knowledge of Northern Nigeria.
1. User:Mahuta (Project Lead)
- Role: Project Lead and Coordinator
- Responsibilities: Overall coordination, planning, communication with partners, supervision of training sessions, and final reporting.
- Experience: Mahuta successfully led the Wiki Loves Africa 2025 Documentations in Taraba project, which produced a large collection of high-quality cultural images — see category.
- Community Role: Administrator at Hausa Wikipedia and Hausa Wiktionary, and active Wikimedia organizer since 2021.
- Status: Volunteer (with small stipend for project coordination).
2. User:M Bash Ne
- Role: Trainer and Wikimedia Commons Facilitator
- Responsibilities: Facilitation of training sessions, guiding new contributors in photo uploads, metadata addition, and Creative Commons licensing.
- Experience: One of the oldest and most experienced editors on Hausa Wikipedia. He has facilitated and co-organized many Wikimedia projects and trained new contributors across Northern Nigeria.
- Status: Volunteer
3. User:Abubakar Kaddi
- Role: Field Guide and Local Coordinator
- Responsibilities: Guiding the photowalks within Kebbi State, liaising with local communities, and ensuring safe and respectful documentation of cultural events.
- Experience: Experienced Hausa Wikimedian with strong local connections and cultural knowledge of Kebbi State.
- Status: Volunteer
4. User:Gwanki
- Role: Trainer and Documentation Lead
- Responsibilities: Supporting training sessions, mentoring participants, supervising uploading and categorization of media files, and providing project visibility.
- Experience: Administrator at Hausa Wikipedia and a long-time Wikimedia contributor since 2013. Founder of Wikimedia User Group Nigeria Kano Network and organizer of many successful Wikimedia projects, including Wiki for Human Rights and Wiki in the Classroom.
- Status: Volunteer
Additional Support
- Two local travel guides (one from each state) will support the team during photowalks.
- Responsibilities: Help access traditional areas, interpret local customs, and ensure cultural sensitivity during documentation.
- Status: Local contractors (short-term engagement).
- 9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)
The project will focus on people from Kebbi and Niger States in Northern Nigeria. Our main target participants are young photographers, students, cultural lovers, and new Wikimedia volunteers who are interested in learning how to share local traditions and culture online. These areas have many traditional ceremonies and festivals, but very few people who take part in Wikimedia projects.
Before the activities begin, we will reach out to people through WhatsApp, Facebook, and local radio announcements. We will create a simple registration form to select active and interested participants from both states. We will also contact traditional leaders and local photography groups to help us identify people who can join and to make sure we work respectfully within each community.
During the project, participants will join 3-day photowalks to take pictures and short videos of local rites and rituals. Trainers will guide them on how to upload their photos to Wikimedia Commons, add good descriptions, and use Creative Commons licenses. The training will be very practical, allowing participants to learn by doing.
After the activities, we will keep in touch with all participants through a WhatsApp or Telegram group. We will continue to mentor them and answer questions as they keep uploading and contributing. We will also hold an online follow-up meeting to review their work, share experiences, and celebrate the winners of the local photo contest.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
No
- 10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.
N/A
- 11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.
Before writing this proposal, we discussed the project idea with members of the Hausa Wikimedia Community and Wikimedia User Group Nigeria. We shared the plan through our community WhatsApp groups, where members supported the idea of focusing on Kebbi and Niger States because they have many untold cultural stories.
We also spoke with local photographers and cultural groups in both states to confirm interest and possible collaboration. The feedback was positive, and many showed readiness to join the photowalks and training.
A short on-wiki discussion about the idea was shared on the Hausa Wikipedia community village page and through our social media channels to keep everyone informed and involved.Discussions page
- 12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Cultural background, ethnicity, religion, racial
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Culture, heritage or GLAM
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Geographic
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Innovate in Free Knowledge
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
Through this project, we hope to learn how to better engage and support new Wikimedia contributors from areas with low participation, like Kebbi and Niger States. We also want to understand the best ways to document cultural practices respectfully and effectively.
Some of our learning questions include:
- How can we motivate new participants to continue contributing to Wikimedia projects after training?
- What methods work best for organizing photowalks and trainings in rural or less-connected communities?
- How can we build stronger partnerships with local cultural groups to improve the quality of Wikimedia content?
- What types of support or follow-up activities help new contributors stay active in the Wikimedia movement?
The lessons from these questions will guide future Wiki Loves Africa and other Wikimedia projects in Northern Nigeria, helping us improve community engagement and cultural documentation.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 100 | Total number of participants |
| Number of editors | 70 | Total number of editors |
| Number of organizers | 4 | Total number of organizers |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 1500 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 400 |
| Wikidata | 100 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
N/A
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
No
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
- 20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)
We will use the Wikimedia Foundations Dashboard Tool
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
5980000 NGN
- 22.2. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done only to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD.
4093.66 USD
- We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
Endorsements and Feedback
[edit]Please add endorsements and feedback to the grant discussion page only. Endorsements added here will be removed automatically.
Community members are invited to share meaningful feedback on the proposal and include reasons why they endorse the proposal. Consider the following:
- Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
- Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
- Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
- Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
- Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).